Effect and mechanisms of Tanshinone IIA on the expression of EGF and EGFR in thyroid cancer cells

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effect of Tanshinone IIA, a small molecular monomer of traditional Chinese medicine, on the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) in human papillary thyroid carcinoma cell line K1. Method s Different doses of Tanshinone IIA were used to treat K1 cells in vitro. CCK8 assays were used to detect the inhibition of Tanshinone IIA on K1 cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of Tanshinone IIA on K1 cell apoptosis and cell cycle phase. Western blotting was used to detect the effect of Tanshinone IIA on EGF and EGFR expression in K1 cells. Result s Tanshinone IIA could significantly inhibit the proliferation of K1 cells in vitro, and the inhibition effect was dose-and time-dependent. The results of flow cytometry showed that with the increase of Tanshinone IIA concentration, K1 cells were gradually blocked at G0/G1 phase. After treated with 5 μg/ml or 10 μg/ml Tanshinone IIA for 72 hours, the apoptotic rate of K1 cells in each group were (21.73±4.41)%, (53.49±7.49)%, respectively; the apoptotic rate in Tanshinone IIA-treated group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Western-blotting results further indicated that the expression of EGF and EGFR decreased gradually with the increase of Tanshinone IIA concentration. Conclusion Tanshinone IIA could inhibit the proliferation of human papillary thyroid carcinoma K1 cells, and induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Further studies have confirmed that the anti-tumor mechanism of Tanshinone IIA may be related to the expression of EGF and EGFR. Key words: Tanshinone IIA; Papillary thyroid carcinoma K1 cells; Epidermal growth factor; Cell apoptosis